Scrubber, washer, and drier for floors



April 23, 1929. J. c. NORDLUM SCRUBBER, WASHER, AND DRIER FOR FLOORSFiled Aug. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet R E S Nu as Ap 23, 1929- J. c.NORDLUM SCRUBBER, WASHER, AND DRIER FOR FLOORS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug.28, 1926 Patented Apr. '23, .1929.

UNITED STATES JOHN C. NORDLUM, OF MIDDLE RIVER, MINNESOTA.

SCRUBBER, WASHER, AND DRIER FOR FLOORS.

. Application filed August 28, 1926, Serial No. 132,109.

This invention relates to a scrubbing machine, and particularly to amachine of the t ype in which a movable scrubbingmember is mounted,together with mopping, and drying members, which members are mounted ona frame with a motor by which they are driven, which frame also carriesa water receptacle for supplying water to the scrubbing member.

It is an object of this invention to provide aserubbing machinecomprising a scrubbing member to which water is supplied from a tankcarried, by the machine, together with a novel and efiicient form ofmopping means.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a mopping meanscomprising a substantially cylindrical rigid member having openingsextending therethrough, together with circumferentially spaced fabricmops and having a pressing rollerat the top of said member for squeezingwater from said mops, which water runs to the inside of said member andis received in a stationary receptacle therein.

It is still another object of the invention toprovide a mopping meanssuch as set forth in the preceding paragraph, in which the mops havetherebeneath a resilient or elastic means.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a mopping means asdefined in the twopreceding paragraphs, which also has a comb disposedat one side, beyond the press ing roller, against which the fabricstrands of the mop'strike to loosenand separate the said strands.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a scrubbingmachine having a frame,

a scrubbing brush roller at the front thereof, a revoluble mop member inthe rear of said scrubbing roller, a drying or wiping member in the rearof'said mopping member, a water supply tank on said frame having waterunder pressure therein, means for delivering water from said tank tosaid brush, a receptacle for receiving the water from said moppingmember and drying member, a pump for returning the water from saidreceptacle to said tank, together with a motor on said frame for drivingsaid parts.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a scrubbing machinecomprising a frame having scrubbing, mopping and wiping members thereonwith means for vertically adjusting said frame to vary the distancebetween said members and the floor.

" These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made .in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refertosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which Fig. 1 is aview in side elevation of the machine,'certain parts being broken awayand others shown in vertical section Fig. 2 is a plan view of themachine;

, Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a. verticalsection of the mopping means taken substantially online -4-4 of Fi 2; and

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section through the brush roller, Figs. 4and 5 being shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a frame 10 of generalrectangular shape having the side plates 10",top plate 10 and the bottomside members or rails 10. A rotatable scrubbing'brush or roller 11 ismounted in the forward end of the frame, said brush having a shaft 12carried in suitable bearings mounted,in the side members 10, which shafthas a gear 13 secured thereto with which meshes the worm gear or spiralY gear 1 1 secured to a shaft 15 journaled in the gear housing 16. Thebrush member 11 has a central solid portion 11 having longitudinalgrooves of substantially cylindrical shape in cross section extendinglongitudinally of grooves 11". Brush members 11 are slid- .able in saidgrooves 11 and may be separately removed and renewed. The shaft 12 isvertically adjustable in slots 10 in the side plates 10 and the bearing;aid shaft have lugs 16 projecting therefronf having bolts 17 extendingtherethrough to the inner sides of plates 10, saidbolts extendingthrough slots 10 in the side members 10 and having nuts at their outersides adapted to be tightened to hold the bearings for shaft 12 inadjusted position. The side plates 10 have bearings 10 formed therein inwhich are journaled the trunnions 18 projecting axially from the ends ofthe cylindrical member 18 which extends between the side plates 10, oneof said trunnions having secured thereto a worm wheel gear 19 meshingwith and driven by a worm gear 20 secured to. and driven by a shaft 21,which shaft 21 is conne'cted at its forward end by a universal joint 22to the shaft 15. The member 18 is. in the form of a hollow shell or drumand is formed with spaced longitudinally extending segmental portions18", each having cylindrical scat. )ortions 18 at one side and inwardlyextending lips 18 attheir other sides. The member 18 has a yielding beador rim 18 at 5 each end which will be made of rubber or similarmaterial, which projects beyond the outer sides of the segments 18".Seat portions 18 have clamped therein the ends of fabric mop. members 23preferably formed from fabric strands and the ends of layers 24 ofrubber or similar elastic material. The mop members 13 are adapted tostrike against a comb or tooth member 18 which member has a rod at itsrear side extending between 15 the side plates 10 and movable betweenribs 10 on the inner sides of the side plates. A screw 18 extendsthrough a slot between ribs 10 and is threaded into the rod of member 18by means of which it may be held in dif- 20 ferent positions. The member18 has a pan extending thereacross substantially axially thereof, theends of which are secured to the side plates 10 and the casing 10secured to one of the side plates, which encloses the 25 worm gear 20and worm wheel gear 19. One end of the trough 25 is closed and the otherend is adapted to discharge into a receptacle 26 secured to the casing10 and supported in one of the flanges 10. A roller 27 extends betweenthe side plates 10 and has trunnions 4 27" carried in bearing boxes 28slidable in guides 10 secured to the side plates 10". The bearing boxesare engaged at their upper sides by compression coil springs 30 disposedin the guides 10. Screws 29 have plates 29 .at their lower ends slidablein the guides .10 and bearing upon the upper ends of springs 30, whichscrews are threaded in the upper ends of the guides 1.0 and extendthrough 40. openings in the top plate 10" above which they are providedwith suitable handles. The roller 27 is thus resiliently presseddownward against the member 18 and the pressure on said roller can beadjusted.

A tank 31 is carried on the upper portion of the frame, which tank isadapted to contain water, as shown in Fig. 1, and is closed so that thewater can be placed under pressure. .Said tank has a removable cover orlid 32 and a pressure gauge 33 is also secured to the top thereof. Ablow-off valve 34 is provided at the upper portion of said tank. Adischarge pipe 31 leads from the lower forward end of tank 31 and iscontrolled by a valve 70. A conduit 71 connects the discharge pipe 31 toa distributing member 72 extending longitudinally of brush 11 above thesame and having a multiplicity of perforations "('2 in its forward andlower side. The member 72 is held in place by a bracket 73 secured tothe forward portion 10 of the top plate 10", which portion is hinged onthe pintle 74 and is movable upwardly thereabout. A rotary pump 35 ismounted on one of the rails 10 and is driven by a shaft 36 duit 35*which extends into or communicates with the'receptacle 26 and said pumphas a discharge outlet to which is connected thedischarge pipe 38 whichextends'to and discharges into the top of the tank 31. A conduit 39 alsocommunicates with the upper portion of the tank 38 and extends to areciprocating air pump 40 connected by a pitman 41 to a crank shaft 42,which crank shaft is connected to or forms part of shaft 36 of the pump35 and has secured thereto a worm wheel gear 4-3 driven by asuitableworm gear 44 secured to the armature shaft of a motor 45 indicated bythe dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, which motor will be carried on asuitable plate in the bottom of the frame 10. The tank 31 has a heatingmember 46 disposed adjacent .its bottom, which may be of the-electricaltype and heated by current from a conductor 47 In the rear of the member45 and adjacent the rear end of the frame there is provided a wipingmember 48. This member is in the form of an endless fabric absorbent mopwhich runs over the rollers 49, 50, 51 and 52 carried on shaftsjournaled in the side members 10. The bearings for the rollers 49 arevertically movable in guide members 10 and carried on-links 53 pivotedat'54, said links having bolts 55 connected thereto and projectingthrough'slots 10 in the side plates 10 and which bolts are provided withclamping nuts by means of which the links 53 and the rollers 49 and 50are adjusted in position. The roller 52 is also carried in bearingblocks 56 to which are secured screws 57 extending upwardly through thetop plate 10 of the frame in which they are threaded and provided withsuitable operating handles at their upper end. By moving the roller 52,the member 48 can be suitably tensioned. The member 48 between rollers51 and 52 runs between squeezing rollers 58and 59, the roller 58 havingtrunnions journaled in bearings in the side plates 10. The roller 58 hassecured thereto a worm wheel gear 82 meshing with and driven by a wormgear 83 secured to a shaft 84, said worm wheel gear being disposed, andsaid shaft being journaled in, a casing secured to the side of one ofsaid .plates 10". Roller 59 is driven from roller 58 through ringergears 58 and 59 secured to the other ends of rollers 58 and 59. Theshaft 84 is connected by a universal joint 86 to the shaft carrying gear43. The roller 59 has its trunnions journaled in bearing boxes 60 whichare slidable on rods 61, the lower ends of which are secured in a block62 attached to the inner sides of plate 10. Springs 63 surround the rods61. and bear at their lower ends on the bearing boxes 60 and are engagedat their upper ends by a plate 64, through which said rods 61 extend.Said rods are surrounded above plate 64 by threadedsleeves 65 throughwhich the threaded portions of rod 61 extend, said rods having operatingjhandles at their upper ends. By turning the rods 61, the sleeves 65 aremoved downward against the spring 63 so that the pressure on roller 59can be adjusted. A pan 66 extends lengthwise of the rollers 58 and 59beneath the same and receives the water expressed from the member 48.Pipe 67 connects pan 66 to the receptacle 26 so that the water in pan 66flows by gravity into receptacle 26.

Yielding members 75 such as sheets of rubber extend along the ends ofbrush 11 parallel to said ends and converge at their rear ends wherethey are secured to brackets 76 attached to and projecting inwardly fromthe side plates 10. Members 75 are ada ted to engage the floor and tomove inwar ly the water so that the same will be effectively taken up bymop member 18.

The frame member 10 is supported on ball rollers or casters 77 containedin casing 78, which are slidable vertically in guideways formed on theside plates 1O which casings 78 are engaged by the threaded lower endsof screws 79 which project upwardly through the top plate 10 of theframe and have suitable operating handles at their upper ends. A handlemember 80 is swingingly supported in bearings 81 secured to the topplate 10 adjacent the rear portion thereof, said handle member extendingrearwardly, and being of bail formation and by means of which themachine is moved.

In operation the water will be placed in the tank 31, preferably withsome soap or washing compound, and will be heated to the propertemperature by the heating member 46, the conductors 47 being connectedto some suitable source of current supply. The motor 45 will also bedriven by some suitable connection such as a cord extending to somesuitable source of current supply. The brush 11 will thus be rotated aswill also the mop member 18 and the member 48 will be traversed aboutthe rollers 51, 52 and 53. The valve will be opened and a suitableamount of the water allowed to pass through the member 72 on to the topof brush 11. The brush 11 will thus scrub the floor, being rotated inthe direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. As the device is movedforwardly, the Water from brush 11 will be moved inwardly by the memberand this water will be taken up by the mop members 13 which are movedalong the floor in the rotation of member 18, which member moves in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. As the members 13 are carriedabout the forward side of the roller, they are well saturated and inpassing under the roller 27 the water will be expressed therefrom andmoved toward the free ends of said mops. This water will drain from saidrear ends and.

will flow through the s ace between the seg-.

ments 18 asshown in ig. 4 and will dro mto the pan 25. The water isprevented from running over the ends of the member 18 by the rim members18'. From pan 25 the water will run to one side and into receptacle 26.As the members 13 pass from under roller 27 they are thrown outwardly bythe resil iency of the members 24 when released from the roller 27 andwill strike against the teeth of the member 18. The mo s will have thestrands thereof so arated an will be brought to a loose and flu ycondition by the impact against member 18'. As the members 13 drag pastsaid comb 18 the strands thereof will be straightened and brought intoefiicient condition for the mops again to engage the floor and take upmore water. The member 18' can be adjusted somewhat farther from member18, as desired. As the machine is progressed over the floor, the member48 will engage the floor and wipe the same dry of any water or moisturewhich still remains thereon. The water in the member 48 will beexpressed therefrom as said member passes between rollers 58 and 59 andthis water drops into the pan 66 as shown in Fig. 1. It will be notedthat the rollers 58 and 59 are driven through the gear 82 and that theserollers cause the movement of the member 48. The water drains from pan66 into the receptacle 26. The water collecting in receptacle 26 isagain pumped into the tank 31 through the pipe 38 by pump 35. Pump 40 isoperated as the machine is running and pumps air into the top of thetank 31, to place the water therein under pressure. The pressure in thetank will be indicated on gauge 33 and should the pressure increasebeyond the desired point, the blow off valve 34 will be operated.

The frame can be adjusted to bring the members 11, 18 and 48 into thecorrect and desired relation to the floor. The machine will be propelledabout the floor as desired by the handle and will run very easily on thefloor on the ball members 77.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided asimple, novel and ctlicient scrubbing machine. The water is efiectivelydelivered to the scrubbing member and is completely removed from thefloor after the floor has been cleaned by said scrubbing member. Themachine is quite compact and the floor can be Very quickly andefiiciently cleaned thereby. The device has been amply demonstrated inactual practice and found to be very successful and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed anddefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A scrubbing machine having in combination, amopping means com risin a revolublerigid hollow cylindrica mem er havingspaced parallel segments, circumferem' tially s aced fabric mops eachcomprising a multiphcity of strands overlying said segments and apresser roller above said member for engagin said mops and pressing thesame against sait segments to squeeze the water therefrom and to theends thereof, said water running between said segments into said member,a stationary pan in said member receiving said water and a comb memberbeyond said roller in the direction of rotation of said member againstwhich said mops are swung, adapted to separate said strands and fluff upsaid mops.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, said mop members being securedalong one edge to one edge of said segments and a layer of elasticmaterial underlying said mops and disposed between the same and saidsegments and secured to the segments at the same edge as said mopmembers, said mop members and layers being free at their opposite edges.

3. A scrubbing machine having in combination, a mopping means comprisinga revoluble rigid hollow cylinder, circumferentially spaced mops offabric strands secured at their advance edges to said cylinder, sheetsof resilient material beneath said mops and secured thereto at theiradvance edges, a presser roller above said cylinder for expressing waterfrom said mops and a toothed member beyond said presser roller in thedirection of the rotation of said cylinder, extending at an anglethereto, against which said mops are thrown as said cylinder revolves,for opening the strands of said mops.

4. A scrubbing machine having in combination, a mopping means comprisinga revoluble hollow cylindrical member having end portions andlongitudinally extending spaced segments therebetween, said segmentshaving one edge bent inwardly substantially radially and having socketsformed in their other edges, and fabric mops having one edge secured insaid sockets, said sockets being at the advance edges of said segmentsin the direction of rotation of said member and pressing means abovesaid mopping means for engaging said fabric mops to press the watertherefrom whereupon the water will run into said cylindrical memberbetween the segments thereof, said radial edges of said segments actingto revent the water from striking the bottom 0 said segments.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, and sheet-s of elastic materialunderlying said mops having one edge free and having one edge receivedin said sockets with said mo s.

6. A scrubbing machine having in com ination, a mopping means comprisinga revoluble, substantially hollow cylindrical memher havinglongitudinally extending spaced openings therethrough, elastic sheetsoverlying said member between said openings, fabric mops overlying saidsheets, said mops and said sheets being secured tosaid member only alongtheir forward longitudinal edges, a presser roller above said member forengaging said mops and pressing the same and said elastic sheets againstsaid member to squeeze the water from said mops, whereupon on releasefrom said roller said elastic sheets will throw the free edges of saidmops outwardly from said member, said member being adapted to receivethe water squeezed from said mops through said openings, and astationary pan in said member for receivin g the Water.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN C. NORDLUM.

